Man shall nothing except what he strives.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
in Holy Quran Allah says " Laisa lil
insana illa ma sa'a" There is nothing for man except what he strives for.
But like so many persons i do not find it true in my life. for example i wanted
to become a doctor and strove hard to achieve this objective, but i failed and
became a banker instead for which i had no aptitude. so how would relate
this Aaya to the realities of life.SOHRAB
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Man shall nothing
except what he strives
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 53 Surah
Najm verse 39:
39 That man can have nothing but what he
strives for.
Respected brother in Islam, the above quoted Verse and
Guidance of the Lord that ‘man can have nothing but what he
strives for’ is not applicable for the trial period of this
short and transitory world, but rather applicable only to the Hereafter!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah
Israa verses 18-20:
18 If any do wish (only) for the transitory things (of this life) We readily grant them--such things as We
Will to such persons as We will: in the end have We provided Hell for
them: they will burn therein, disgraced and rejected.
19 Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter and strive
therefore with all due striving, and have Faith; they are the ones whose
striving is acceptable (to Allah).
20 Of the Bounties of
thy Lord, We bestow freely on all these as well as those: the Bounties of thy Lord are not closed (to anyone).
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah
Baqarah verses 200-202:
200 ……There are men who say: "O Our Lord! Give us (thy Bounties) in
this world!" but they will have no portion in the Hereafter.
201 And there are men who say: "O Our Lord! Give us good in this
world and good in the Hereafter, and defend us from the torment on the
Fire!"
202 To these will be allotted what they have
earned, and Allah is quick in account.
As much as man may desire or strive their absolute utmost
to attain something in the life of this short and transitory world…..one may or
may not obtain it….for of the Bounties of the Lord Most Gracious, He bestows on
whomsoever He wills and Pleases. In the
trial period of this one short and transitory world, man does not get from the
Bounties of the Lord what he deserves or what he strives for….but rather he
gets whatever His Lord has Willed and Decreed for that individual.
It is only in the Hereafter where man will truly get
whatever he has striven for…..if one desired for and did the necessary striving
to obtain success in the Hereafter, he shall attain his due salvation in the
Presence of his Lord All-Knowing; but of one neither desired for nor did the
necessary striving to obtain success in the Hereafter, he shall have no weight
for his deeds in the Presence of his Lord Most Majestic on that Tumultuous and
Inevitable Day!
Thus the Declaration of the Lord that ‘man can have nothing but what he
strives for’ is not applicable at all for the life of this
world, but rather only for the eternal and everlasting life of the Hereafter.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah
Ale-Imraan verses 133-136:
133 Be quick as in a race (or strive your absolute utmost) for
forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden (in
134 Those who spend (freely) whether in prosperity or in adversity; who
restrain from anger, and pardon (all) men; for Allah loves those who do good.
135 And those who having done something to be ashamed of or wronged
their own souls earnestly bring Allah to remembrance, and ask for forgiveness
for their sins; and who can forgive sins except Allah? And are never obstinate in persisting
knowingly in (the wrong) they have done.
136 For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord and Gardens with
rivers flowing underneath, an eternal dwelling; how excellent a recompense for
those who work (and strive)!
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
Wister